Panax Notoginseng San Qi: Clinical Studies and Clinical Applications
San Qi Panax Notoginseng
SAN QI - Panax Notoginseng 三七 Clinic Report:
By David Santander, DTCM, L.Ac.
Owner/Clinician Oahu Holistic Medicine
This is an opportunity for us all to learn about the potential of this fantastic medicinal, and to demonstrate our clinical intent to our patients.
*This report is meant to be used in-house to educate our patients and clinicians, and out-of-house to further the body of knowledge existing around these fantastic medicinals. It is a cross-section in time, and is in no way exhaustive of the potential benefits of this medicinal/medication.
2/24/23
In our Acupuncture/Naturopathic Medicine clinic currently, many of our patients are benefitting from the use of San Qi - Panax Notoginseng (SPN) in their daily lives.
Our clinical observations (usually administered in 3g powder taken orally in warm or cold water, undecocted, wiuth the dregs ingested) of the benefit of SPN include: COVID fatigue recovery, COVID Vaccine induced frozen shoulder recovery, amelioration of depression, improved energy, improved mood, decrease in frequency and intensity of hot flashes.
Definitions:
SPN = San Qi Panax Notoginseng
TCM = Traditional Chinese Medicine
INTRO:
“Panax notoginseng is a species of the genus Panax, and it is commonly referred to in English as Chinese ginseng[2] or notoginseng. In Chinese it is called tiánqī (田七), tienchi ginseng, sānqī (三七) or sanchi, three-seven root, and mountain plant. P. notoginseng belongs to the same scientific genus as Panax ginseng. In Latin, the word panax means "cure-all", and the family of ginseng plants is one of the best-known herbs.
P. notoginseng grows naturally in China. The herb is a perennial with dark green leaves branching from a stem with a red cluster of berries in the middle. It is both cultivated and gathered from wild forests, with wild plants being the most valuable. The Chinese refer to it as three-seven root because the plant has three petioles with seven leaflets each. It is also said that the root should be harvested between three and seven years after planting it.
In traditional Chinese medicine, P. notoginseng is classified as warm in nature. The taste is sweet and slightly bitter. A decoction of 5-10 g is a typical dose. It can also be ground to a powder for swallowing directly or taken mixed with water. The dose in that case is usually 1-3 g.”
Traditional Chinese Medicine Data and Commonly Accepted Statments + Measurements: What does it Do?
Herbs that Regulate Blood: Herbs that Stop Bleeding (Hemostatics)
Pharmaceutical Latin:
Radix Notoginseng
Radix Pseudoginseng
Common English:
Notoginseng Root
Pseudoginseng Root
[From American Dragon.com - Dr. Penner]
Actions
Indications/Syndromes
Stops bleeding and transforms Blood Stasis
Internal and external bleeding including hematemesis, epistaxis, hematochezia, metrorrhagia, bloody dysentery, menorrhagia, and hematuria, dizziness, pain
Reduces swelling, alleviates pain and removes extravasated Blood
Traumatic injury with swelling and pain, including falls, fractures, contusions and sprains, stab wounds, pain, dizziness and post-natal Blood retention
Invigorates the Blood
Chest and abdominal pain and joint pain due to Blood Stasis
Sores, carbuncles and snake and animal bites, conjunctivitis
Cancer
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Contraindicated for those with no Stasis.
Contraindicated for those with Blood Deficiency.
Contraindicated for those with hemoptysis or epistaxis due to Blood Heat.
Use with caution during pregnancy.
Use caution with Yin Deficiency.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
[source site contains no information]
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
Use with caution for patients taking anticoagulants such as heparin, warfarin (Coumadin) and enoxaparin (Lovenox) or antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin, dipyridamole (Persantine) and clopidogrel (Plavix) as concurrent use may have an additive or synergistic effect.
NOTES:
This herb is widely used because it can stop bleeding without Stagnation.
This is the number one herb for traumatic injury.
Flos Pseudoginseng San Qi Hua is sweet, cool, calms the Liver and lowers blood pressure. It is used for hypertension and sore throat.
This herb stops bleeding then resolves blood clots.
This herb is sold raw as Tienchi powder.
Some sources say that this herb tonifies Blood.
It can be used alone for epistaxis, hematemesis and uterine bleeding.
It can be used alone for External bleeding with pus and ulceration or open sores with suppuration.
Apply the powder topically for External injuries with open cuts.
For a wound caused by sharp metal objects, apply the powder directly to the wound and it will stop bleeding immediately.
Apply the powder to swellings and ruptured swellings to relieve the swelling and pain.
Use with Blood cooling herbs if bleeding is caused by Heat.
This herb has anti-cancer properties and is used in many anticancer formulas.
Use with Yin tonics if there is dry mouth due to Yin Deficiency.
Recently this herb has been used to treat any type of infection, not just infected wounds.
It has also recently been used to treat coronary Blood Deficiency leading to angina.
Both San Qi and Ophicalcitum Hua Rui Shi stop bleeding without causing Stasis and transform Blood Stasis without injuring newly generated Blood and both can be used internally and externally. San Qi is bitter, warm, stops bleeding, reduces swelling, alleviates pain and treats all types of bleeding. Hua Rui Shi is sour, astringent, neutral and primarily transforms Blood Stasis so that Blood can return to its normal channels. It mainly treats hematemesis and epistaxis and is applied topically for wounds.
San Qi and Crinis Carbonisatus Xue Yu Tan both stop bleeding, reduce Blood Stasis and treat all types of bleeding. San Qi is stronger at stopping bleeding, reducing swelling and alleviating pain. Xue Yu Tan is less able to stop bleeding but can facilitate urination, generate flesh and assist in the healing of sores.
Cooked Notoginseng Shu San Qi is less able to stop bleeding and transform Stasis but is better at tonification and is used for weak patients with Qi and Blood Deficiency.
Hb. seu Rx. Gynura Segentum Ju Ye San Qi disperses Blood Stagnation, stops bleeding, eliminates toxins and reduces swelling. It is sweet, slightly bitter and neutral. It is used Internally and topically for epistaxis, hematemesis, traumatic injuries with bleeding and bruising, sores, swelling and breast abscesses. Its dosage is 1.5 to 3g of powder given one to three times daily. The powder can be used in decoction. The fresh herb can be applied topically as a paste. It is contraindicated during pregnancy.
Hb. seu Rx. Sedum Aizoom Jing Tian San Qi stops bleeding, disperses Stagnation, nourishes Blood and calms the Shen. It is sweet, sour and neutral and treats epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematemesis, hematuria, hematochezia, profuse menstrual bleeding, purpura, palpitations, insomnia, restlessness and neurosis. It can also be used topically for External bleeding from trauma. The dosage is 15 to 30g for the aerial part and 6 to 10g for the root.
https://www.americandragon.com/Individualherbsupdate/SanQi.html
RESEARCH:
Nerve protection, anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, anti-oxidant, blood sugar and pressure regulator:
“Panax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen, as traditional Chinese medicine, has a long history of high clinical value, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, inhibition of platelet aggregation, regulation of blood glucose and blood pressure, inhibition of neuronal apoptosis, and neuronal protection[...]”
[...]neuronal protection by anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, or inhibition of neuronal apoptosis, or platelet aggregation and its intracellular signaling pathways. Network target analysis indicated PNS and its components also may have anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, which leads to the preservation of brain nerves, and regulate the activity and secretion of nerve cells, exerting anti-depression and anxiolytic effects[…]
Stroke prevention, neurological protection and regeneration of blood circulation - brain ischemia-reperfusion injury:
“A wide variety of pharmaceutical applications of Panax notoginseng saponins have been reported in the regulation of blood circulation system, cardiovascular system and nervous system. Ischemic stroke, the most common form of stroke, leads to a high risk of morbidity and disability, which evolves serious medical, social and economic problems. Ischemia-reperfusion injury is the most important part in the progress of ischemic stroke.}
Benefit in precancerous lesions in the stomach:
“It is suggested that San Qi ([symbol: see text] Radix Notoginseng) may improve gastric secretion, and that increase of GMBF and antagonism against the lesion of oxygen free radicals are possibly one of its mechanisms.”
May be as effective as heart medication, and added benefit to patients in the presence of heart medication in patients with angina pectoris:
SPN = (San Qi Panax Notoginseng)
“There was no evidence that SPN alone had better or worse effects than conventional drugs on improving clinical symptoms[...]
[Editor's note: Can that above sentence be taken to mean that San Qi (SPN) is as effective as the heart medications?]
“[…] there was an evidence that SPN combined with western medications was a better treatment option than conventional drugs alone in improving clinical symptoms (RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.33) and ECG (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.45). No serious adverse effects were reported.”
Prevention and Treatment of Prostate Cancer:
“Conclusions: These results provide evidence for the cytotoxic effects of Panax notoginseng on PCa [Prostate Cancer] cell lines. This botanical is a promising candidate for the complementary and integrative medicine treatment of PCa and further studies are indicated to determine the anti-cancer mechanism of Panax notoginseng.”
Panax notoginseng saponins prevent colitis-associated colorectal cancer via inhibition IDO1 mediated immune regulation
“Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most lethal cancer and leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. A key driver of CRC development is colon inflammatory responses especially in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It has been proved that Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-tumor effects[…]
[…]vOur study showed that PNS exerted significant chemopreventive function and immunomodulatory properties on CAC. It could reduce macrophages accumulation and Treg cells differentiation to reshape the immune microenvironment of CAC. These findings provided a promising approach for CAC intervention.
San Qi as Antibacterial:
(A) Decrease bacteria’s ability to move around the body,
(B) Destroy film-like bacterial colonies growing in the digestive tract, and weaken microbes
(C ) Stop healthy gut cells from leaking and ultimately dying
(D) Stimilate immune system, stop healthfull cells from dying, decrease inflammation, decrease instances of DNA damage to aid in fighting infection
(E) prevent the escape/leaving of antibiotics before they can terminate the microbes/bacteria (if this didnt happen, microbes could become antibiotic resistant).
[A layperson friendly translation of the following]
“Ginsenosides, polysaccharides, essential oil, proteins, and panaxytriol are all might responsible for the antimicrobial activities of ginseng. The antimicrobial mechanisms of ginseng components could be summarized to the following points: (a) inhibit the microbial motility and quorum-sensing ability; (b) affect the formation of biofilms and destroy the mature biofilms, which can weaken the infection ability of the microbes; (c) perturb membrane lipid bilayers, thus causing the formation of pores, leakages of cell constituents and eventually cell death; (d) stimulate of the immune system and attenuate microbes induced apoptosis, inflammation, and DNA damages, which can protect or help the host fight against microbial infections; and (e) inhibit the efflux of antibiotics that can descend the drug resistance of the microbial.”
Research progress on pesticide residues of Panax notoginseng
‘The pesticides detected have gradually changed from early prohibited ones, such as dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane(DDT), benzene hexachloride(BHC), and parathion, to low toxic ones(e.g., dimethomorph, procymidone, propicona-zole, and difenoconazole). The dietary risk from pesticide residues in P. notoginseng is low, which would not cause harm to consu-mers. This study concluded that in the future, the development of the quality standard for pesticide residues of P. notoginseng should be actively carried out.”
“The pesticide residues in the main root samples of P. notoginseng were at a safe level and unlikely pose health risks to consumers.”
Anti-diabetic potential of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS)
“[…]scientific studies have shown a wide range of other pharmacological applications including anti-cancer, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory agents, immunologic adjuvant and prevention of diabetes complications. Recently, hypoglycemic and anti-obesity properties of PNS have also been demonstrated. The present review highlights the effects of PNS on glucose production and absorption, and on inflammatory processes that seem to play an important role in the development of diabetes.”
CAUTIONS:
Liver Toxicity from using the wrong species of “Tu San Qi” or San Qi; using Gynura japonica (liver toxic) instead of Panax Notoginseng
“Herbs and dietary supplement-induced liver injury (HILI) is the leading cause of drug-induced liver injury in China. Among different hepatotoxic herbs, the pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA)-producing herb Gynura japonica contributes significantly to HILI by inducing hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS), a liver disorder characterized by hepatomegaly, hyperbilirubinemia, and ascites. In China, G. japonica has been used as one of the plant species for Tu-San-Qi and is often misused with non-PA-producing Tu-San-Qi (Sedum aizoon) or even San-Qi (Panax notoginseng) for self-medication.”
This list is by no means exhaustive, and contains just a few links to scholarly articles. Many books could be written about this herb. There are thousands of scholarly articles pertaining to San Qi - Panax Notoginseng on PubMed and throughout the internet.
Feel free to reply or contact us with more interesting details, comments, questions.
Aloha
Dr. David Santander
*THIS IS IN NO WAY MEDICAL ADVICE*